Automatic wind mill stop



Jan. 3; 1956 H. w. MENN AUTOMATIC WIND MILL STOP Filed Jan. 17. 1951INVENTOR. H912 7 20. 7726)?)7,

ATTURN EYS 2,729,166 t AUTOMATIC WIND sToP' f I Henry W. Menn, Bishop,Tex. Application January 17, 1951, Serial No. 206,491 1 Claim. (Cl.103-31) This invention relates to an automatic windmill controlmechanism, and more particularly to a mechanism for operating the brakemechanism of the windmill.

The object of the invention is to provide an automatic windmill controlmechanism wherein the brake mechanism of the motor will be actuated whenthe level of water in the storage tank exceeds a predetermined level, tothereby prevent the water from being wasted.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic windmill stopwhich isconstructed so that operation of the pump will be prevented whenthe level of Water in the reservoir tank exceeds a certain level.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic windmillstop which is extremely simple and inexspensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout thesame:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of a windmill, showingthe control mechanism of the present invention installed thereon;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the windmill shown inFigure 1, and taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view illustrating certain details of the constructionshown in Figure 2, and illustrating the parts on an enlarged scale. 7

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a frame,Figure l, which may be made of any suitable material, and the frame 10has secured to its upper end a horizontally disposed platform 11. Areservoir tank 12 is supported on the platform 11, and the reservoirtank 12 has an overflow pipe 14 connected thereto.

The present invention is directed to a mechanism for stopping thepumping action of a windmill when the level of water in the overflowtank 12 exceeds a certain level, so that the water will not be wasted.

Arranged adjacent to the lower end of the overflow pipe 14 is acylindrical guide member 13. Removably mounted in the guide member 13 isa bucket 15 which is adapted to receive water that is emitted from thelower open end of the overflow pipe 14.

The numeral 17 designates a portion of a conventional windmill tower,and the windmill tower 17 may include a plurality of substantiallyvertically disposed legs 18, 19 and 20. A first guide pulley 16 isconnected to the platform 11 for a purpose to be later described.

A lever 21 is pivotally connected to the leg 18 by means of a pivot pin22, as'shown in Figures 2 and 3 and it will be seen that one end of thelever 21 is beveled, as at 23. A pivot pin 25 pivotally connects an arm24 to the leg 19, Figure l, A bracket 26 is secured to the leg bysuitable securing elements, such as a boltand-nut assembly 27, Figure 2.The bracket 26 serves h 2,729,166 "Patent ed Jan. 3, 1956 2 as a guideand is aflapted to receive and hold the lever 21 when it is in itslowered position.

The outer end of the arm 24 provided with a plurality of s aced penings28, and a weight 29 is adapted to be sus'pe ed from (Site of the6pe'nings'28.

Secured to th'e tower 17 iS' 1 uide uuey 30, and a cable 31 istrainedpver the guide pulley and over the guide pulley 30. (life and ofthe came 31 is unheated to the bucket 15, while the other end of thecable 31 is connected to an eye bolt 32 which is secured to the lever21. Thus, when the water overflows from the tank 12, this water willfill up the bucket 15 to thereby cause the bucket 15 to move downwardlyin the guide member 13, whereby the lever 21 will be pivoted about thepin 22. As the lever 21 pivots in a clockwise direction about the pin22, Figure 3, the arm 24 will drop or pivot in a counter-clockwisedirection about the pin 25, due to the weight 29. A cable or line 33 hasone end connected to an eye bolt 34 which is secured to the arm 24, andthe other end of the cable 33 is connected to the brake mechanism (notshown) which may be conventional, the brake mechanism serving to preventoperation of the windmill. Thus, when the arm 24 pivots in acounterclockwise direction about the pin 25, the cable 33 will operatethe brake mechanism to thereby prevent further operation of the windmillpump so that no water will be wasted.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that a windmill stop has beenprovided wherein when water overflows from the tank 12, the windmillwill be stopped, so that there will be no waste of water. Thus, when thewater overflows through the pipe 14 from the tank 12, the bucket 15 willmove downwardly in the guide member 13 and this will cause the lever 21to be pivoted in a clockwise direction about the pin 22, Figure 3. Thismovement of the lever 21 will enable the arm 24 to drop or pivot aboutthe pin 25, due to the weight 29. As the arm 24 pivots downwardly, thecable 33 will be moved downwardly, whereby the brake mechanism on thewindmill will be actuated so that further pumping of water will beprevented. When the water level in the tank 12 decreases below a certainlevel, the assembly can be reset by hand.

The mechanism of the present invention is simple and inexpensive tomanufacture and can be readily installed in existing apparatus.

I claim:

An automatic stop means for a windmill comprising a frame, ahorizontally disposed platform secured to the top of said frame, areservoir tank mounted on said platform for receiving water from a windmill pump, a windmill tower including substantially vertically disposedlegs, an overflow pipe connected to said tank, a cylindrical guidemember arranged adjacent to the lower end of said overflow pipe, abucket movably mounted in said guide member for receiving water fromsaid overflow pipe, a first guide pulley connected to said platform, asecond guide pulley connected to said windmill tower, a lever having oneend pivotally connected to a leg of the tower by means of a pivot pin, abracket secured to another of said legs for receiving said lever whenthe lever is in lowered position for limiting downward movement of theother end of said lever, said one end of the lever being bevelledadjacent said pivot pin to provide a shoulder, a cable trained over saidpulleys and having one end connected to said lever and its other endconnected to said bucket, an arm having one end pivotally connected toanother of said legs and said arm selectively supported by the shoulderof said lever, said lever and arm extending substantially horizontallyand said arm extending at an angle with respect to said lever, a weightconnected to the free end of said arm, said shoulder selectively movingout from under said arm to permit the weight to move the arm downwardly,said shoulder supporting said arm when the arm is on said shoulder, saidshoulder being arranged on one end of said lever and the opposite end ofsaid lever engaging said bracket, and a line having one end connected tosaid arm and its other end adapted to be connected to a brake mechanismon the windmill for stopping the latter when the level of water inthe'tank exceeds a predetermined level, the water in said tankoverflowing through said pipe into said bucket to apply tension on saidcable to thereby pivot said lever and permit said weight to pivot thearm downwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

